King’s Head Theatre – until 6 July 2019
Reviewed by Claire Roderick
5*****
Fat Rascal’s Edinburgh hit loses none of its exuberant silliness at the King’s Head Theatre. The bonkers musical about the transformation of astoundingly average Bryony Buckle into kick-ass feminist superhero Vulvarine is jam packed with slapstick humour and hilarious musical numbers. Robyn Grant’s book and lyrics (with Daniel Foxx) are full of callouts to misogynists and chauvinists, cramming many everyday annoyances like manspreading into the list of injustices that Vulvarine can put right. James Ringer-Beck’s music keeps everything upbeat, and the manic choreography is perfect.
Bryony’s boring live in High Wycombe, where nothing ever happens, consists of a dull job at the tax office, mooning over Orson Bloom and spending evenings with her cat Elton. Bryony and her friend Poppy are puzzled by the disappearance of the female workforce and the tampon tax funds into a mysterious account. As they begin to investigate, a visit to the doctor, an experimental hormone shot and a lightning strike result in Bryony developing superpowers. Bryony dons Lycra and a mask and becomes Vulvarine. Every superhero needs a supervillain to battle against, and Vulvarine has The Mansplainer, whose evil plan to pacify and subjugate womankind involves huge penis-shaped weapons – obviously!
The cast of 5 are all brilliant, with most playing multiple roles and producing regular belly laughs. Allie Munro holds the show together as Vulvarine with almost a jolly hockey sticks vibe. Robin Grant is a scream as The Mansplainer, camping it up in style, but also steals the show operating Elton the cat, creating hysteria as she sings his solo – Licking My Anus. As The Mansplainer’s wife Sonya, Steffan Rizzi ramps up his Welsh accent a treat to great comic effect, while Katie Wells as lovelorn Poppy and Jamie Mawson as Orson Bloom do their best to steal every scene they’re in.
Seriously silly and wonderfully wise, this madcap musical is unmissable.